Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Port Townsend, today. Have you noticed how "mainstream media" simply disappeared from major disaster news stories and gravitated toward the political freak-show?

While I was monitoring Corps of Engineer reports and watching flood gauges on the Internet, mainstream media was slathering all over Palin and Trump and their pizza dinner date.

Palin continues be an international embarrassment. She proclaimed her "love of emissions" during a motorcycle ride this past weekend. The same day, the International Energy Agency announced a record rate of CO2 emissions in 2010. Palin's stupid remarks are fodder for the foreign press and an embarrassment to educated Americans.

Well the Mississippi River Flood of 2011 seems to be fading away. While the water level at the Morganza Floodway Control Structure is still at a record level, the bulge of water down the Mississippi is below flood stages at all stations.

Over in the Morganza Floodway, while there was significant flooding for a period, damages were not as dire as anticipated. This attributed to, of all things, the near record drought much of the area was suffering, just before the flood! It is believed the parched earth soaked in much of diverted water.

Somehow, man and beast persevered.

There were spectacular saves,

and spectacular failures.

And through it all, folks managed to turn adversity into opportunity, however it presented itself.

While the media panders to Palin and the rest of the Washington Zoo, most of us will be thinking about the real American's; along the Mississippi, the Morganza Floodway, Lake Champlain, Joplin Missouri, and others, for whom the bells toll.

Indeed, I co-owned Media Resources, Inc. in Vancouver Washington for a number of years.

When I began writing this Blog, the focus was on second-generation diesel power. As a young lad living in Prince Rupert, from 1957 through 1959, I began learning about diesel-electric locomotives. The Twilight of steam.

While my core interest remains unchanged, I have changed. Therefore, from time to time, I present subject material that I find absolutely interesting, hopefully you will too!